In Vain
by WindCatcher
Summary: CHAPTER 2 UP! Vincent and Tifa spend some time alone in the dark... Please Read and Review!
1. Just the two of us

Writer's note: Hey ppl! This is my first fic ever! So please let me know what you think. I know exactly where I want to go with this story line. It's gonna take a very romantic turn for Vincent and Tifa, and Cloud is gonna get the surprise of his life. So Pleeeeze review. A lot of thanks to my inspiration, my own Vincent Valentine, you know who you are. Mwah!

P.S: I don't own any aspect of Final Fantasy VII(although it would have been nice to own Vincent.,)

**In Vain**

**Chapter 1:Just the two of us.**

He lay there silently listening to the raindrops falling softly onto the roof. Sleep came difficult to the Ex-Soldier in the last couple of nights, Aeris' words kept running through his head:'Isn't it time you did the forgiving?'. And then a pang of guilt tied his stomach in a knot as he heard Tifa's voice echo in his mind 'What will it be, a memory, or us?', he could still see the hurt expression on her face.

He had to do sumthing or it might be too late...

He got up as softly as he could, as to not bother the others while they were all silently exploring their own dreams. Barret had left that morning taking Marlene and Denzel with him on a 'little adventure' as he called it, and Cait Sith went back to the Gold Saucer while Red XIII took on the long journey home to Cosmo Canyon. Now only himself Cid, Yuffie and Vincent remainded within the solitudal walls of Seventh Heaven on this dark nigth.

After getting dressed in his usual attire, he paused at Tifa's bedroom door looking in at the delicate beauty as she lay there in peacefull dreams. Strands of mahogany hair slightly touching the porcelain skin of her cheek. A hint of a smile displayn on her lips. He couldn't help but notice, she looked so happy...so content. How could he have ever doubted that this was where he belonged? He stood there for several moments more taking in her sleeping form before turning on his heel to walk away from her once again. He walked a few steps before pausing, whispering a soft promise to a loved one, ' I'll be back soon Tifa, wait for me...'.

He softly closed the door of Seventh Heaven behind him, walking over to Fenrir with only one destination in mind... The Forgotten City...Aeris' final resting place.

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Vincent Valentine awoke abrubtly to a loud raccus coming from downstairs, he could make out Yuffie's loud shrill voice yelling back at Cid. The loudmouth pilot had obviously made one or another snide remark, he thought to himself as he reluctantly got out of bed. He took up his tattered red cape that was neatly draped over the back of a chair that stood next to the bed and in one swift movement threw in over his shoulders. As he started down the stairs he could now better make out the ongoing argument between the Highwind's Captain and the young ninja/materia thief.

'Thats soooo SEXEST Cid!' came a loud yell from a high pitched voice, there was no doubt in his mind who it belonged to,It could only be Yuffie.

'But it's a woman's F&#! job to raise children and clean the F# house and make the goddamn food' Came in reply to her remark. As he reached the bottom of the flight of stairs he silently walked over to the wall and leaned casually against it with his shoulder. He had them perfectly in sight now as they went on with their argument. He couldn't help but notice the huge grin on Cid's features, he was obviously just teasing the young girl but she was totally on the offensive now and wouldn't let go easily.

While Yuffie and Cid continued their heated debate he noticed Tifa sitting at the bar, resting her chin on her left hand, elbow resting on the table top. She was studying a piece of paper which she held in her right hand, when she suddenly looked up to see Vincent standing across the room from her. 'Oh goodmorning Vincent,' came her soft gentle voice, catching the attention of her loudmouth companions who both looked up, silent to what felt to the Ex-Turk like an eternity. Cid casually greeted Vincent with a nod, and much to his annoyance he saw Yuffie run up to him, brake just in the nic of time, throw her hands on her hips while looking him playfully in the eyes,'Morning Vinny, how'd you sleep?'. He hated being called 'Vinny',it was either Vincent or nothing. He looked her dead centre in the eyes with one of his unreadable placid expressions, muttering a single word,'Fine,' before walking past her to where Tifa sat at the bar.

'Good morning Tifa, I just wanted to thank you for letting me stay here before I head out.',he said as he watched her, still eyeing that little piece of insignificant paper. Silence followed for the next couple of seconds. 'Tifa?' he tried to snap her out of the hypnotizing grip that that letter -he assumed- had on the beautiful martial artist. 'Oh, uhm sorry, did you say something Vincent?', eyes the colour of a deep red wine looked up at him, he could see the sadness there and it pierced his soul. He and Tifa always had a mutual understanding, a kind of respect if you could call it that. They spent countless nights around the campfire talking about things that have long since passed, that was still in those days they spent pursuing Sepheroth. They had gotten to know and understand each other, and he felt that she was the only member of AVALANCHE he could truly open up to, only if it was only a minimal amount of information he gave to her about his past. She had opened up to him aswell, told him about the majority of her childhood years she and Cloud spent together in Nibelheim before he left to join Soldier. He had seen that sadness, that hurt in her eyes before. But only when she talked about him...about Cloud...

He realised he was staring at her in silence, having not replied on her question. 'Vincent, Are you all right?' she asked looking at him with a puzzled expression on her face. 'Yes,sorry, I'm fine Tifa. That a letter from Cloud?' he asked pointing with his gloved right hand at the paper. 'Yes,' she replied softly letting her head hang in silence once more, as if she was trying to hide her hurt from the world, she was quite good at hiding her true feelings, one more thing Tifa and himself had in common.

The silence was suddenly broken by Cid:'Yeah, she spiky haired ass decided to head off again.' he said while throwing his feet on the coffee table, taking the packet of cigarettes out from under his goggle straps then fumbling in his blue jacket pocket for a lighter. 'Left a note,'pointing to Tifa,',just saying "I'll be back soon",' in a mock voice that was supposed to sound something like Cloud, but failed miserably.

Tifa got up from her seat leaving the note behind. 'I'm sure he'll be back in a couple of days. A week at the most. He promised he wouldn't take off again leaving me alone with the kids. He'll be back when Barret brings Marlene and Denzel home.' Tifa voiced her thoughts aloud, but it sounded more to Vincent like she was trying to confince herself of her statement.

Cid looked at Tifa with a look of sympathy, which was quite unusual for a guy like him to show any sort of feelings whatsoever. 'I'm sure he will Tifa.' He lifted his feet from their resting place on the table and gestured to Yuffie who was sitting in the corner of a booth curiously eyeing Vincent's materia,'Come on kid, we better get going if i still have to get ur puny arse to Wutai, and I really have to get back to Shera'. Yuffie got up and walked over to Tifa and gave her a quick hug, 'Goodbye Tifa, and take care of yourself? And Pleeeeez come and visit me any time you feel like it.' she said with that childlike enthusiasm she always seemed to carry about with her. 'Ciao Vinny,' she muttered mockingly while winking at him as she walked by, towards the door where Cid was already waiting for her. Cid greeted with a casual nod of the head and Yuffie turned around and waved goodbye with a quick smile, before exiting the door of Seventh Heaven towards the Highwind.

Then there was silence...

Tifa finally broke it when she looked over to Vincent,' Guess that just leaves the two of us.'. She had obviously not heard him earlier about heading out. 'You are planning on staying a couple of days aren't you? This place will be so empty without the kids around.' she looked at him with a pleading expression in her eyes. 'And anyway we have a lot of catching up to do, we haven't seen each other for two years.' She carried on while wiping the surface of the bar with a wet cloth.

He guessed it wasn't a bad idea, he had missed their conversations into the early hours of the morning a lot more than he realised. 'Yes, I'll stay if that is what you wish Tifa.' His answer came so swiftly to his mouth that it surprised even him, but he didn't let it show on his face, it remained as impassive as ever. "_Do I have other reasons that would make me want to stay? Maybe some subconscious reasons?... Don't be silly Vincent_" he chided himself. Yes she was very beautiful, the word exquisite even came to his mind and her eyes were like two shining jewels, stars in the night sky. And she was by far the best company he had ever had. He quickly assured himself that that was the reason he wanted to stay. "_Yes, I simply enjoy her company, that is all_." he thought within the deep confines of his mind.

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	2. Sweet Sweet Darkness

**Chapter2:**

The rest of the day faded fast as the sun set behind the mountains in a beautiful kaleidoscope of colours. Vincent was sitting outside casually resting his back against the wall in Seventh Heaven's back yard. He had been sitting there for quite some time, until a beautiful and familiar voice brought him back to reality. 'Vincent, dinner's ready.' She looked at him with those stunning mahogany orbs, lined by long black feather like lashes. He gazed in admiration at the beauty before him as the last stray rays from the sun danced across her face. Why hadn't he noticed her this way before?

He got up in one swift move, his tattered red cape blowing behind him in the breeze as he followed Tifa Lockheart into the bar. He noticed two plates on the counter and seated himself on one of the barstools while she settled in at the other side facing him. She had made them some sandwiches, and they sat for quite some time in silence slowly consuming their dinner. When they had both finished their own Tifa got up while picking up the plates and dumping them in the sink behind her, her back facing the Ex-Turk. Vincent finally broke the overwhelming silence, 'Tifa, are you all right?' He noticed her shoulders sag as he asked the simple question and her gaze sank to the floor.

He got up walking so softly and stealthily that she didn't even notice him standing behind her. She jumped at his touch, his metal claw resting gently on her shoulder. He turned her around to face him lifting her head with his leather clad right hand, but her eyes avoided his, still glued to the floor. "Tifa, it's ok to let go sometimes, everybody hurts sometime or another." His words caught him off guard. Who was it that found it so difficult to talk about _her_, who couldn't even think her name without wincing inside? After thirty years confined within that damnable coffin of his, he still found it difficult to let go…..Lucrecia. '_I'm so sorry…'_

"How am I supposed to let go Vincent?" Her voice brought him back from that painful recollection of his past. Her once sweet voice was choked up with tears. "It's difficult Tifa…I should know." He replied softly looking down on her tearstained face which had lost all of its composure. As he looked into her wine coloured eyes he felt that deep piercing pain he had earlier that day as well as a great anger towards his former AVALANCHE team mate, Cloud Strife. How could he do this to her? How could anyone want to hurt this delicate beauty? He hadn't even noticed that he had pulled her closer to him into a deep embrace. Her tears forming large darker circles on his tattered crimson cape. He held her close to him like that for a couple of minutes that seemed to stretch out to an eternity while gently stroking her long satin like hair. He then gently pushed her away from him, holding her at arms length and looking at her intently. She looked at him with quivering eyes, tears threatening to spill from their edges, "Vincent, please…please help me. I don't know if I can do this on my own…help me get through this." She muttered the words so softly he wouldn't have been able to hear them if it wasn't for his extraordinary hearing ability, it was times like this that he realised that there were some advantages to the experiments professor Hojo performed on him…

Damn that man. If it wasn't for him Vincent's life would have turned out very differently than it had. But that wasn't important right now. "Tifa, of course I will help you, in any way I can." He whispered tenderly to her. "But first you must do something for me." He said as he took her by the hand leading her up the stairs. As he looked back he saw her face still locked in that sad expression, eyes dwelling on the floor. He stopped abruptly in front of the bathroom and turned to face her. "Go and have a nice hot bath and try to relax." When she finally looked up into his face it was still wearing its stoic expression but something about his eyes, something inside had softened. The thin needle like lines of gold that once jutted out from his pitch black irises that seemed to held them captive now melted into the crimson forming a red golden haze of colour. They were absolutely beautiful. She finally noticed that she was staring at him in silence and then only gave a nod approving the idea of a relaxing bath, if it was only to help her forget about Cloud for one minute.

After entering the bathroom and closing the door behind her, she leaned with her back against it '_I've seen that look in his eyes before, those nights we spent talking around the camp fire, those small instances when he actually opened up to me. Maybe we could help each other through our problems? Cloud…you promised me this time would be different.' _Tears running down her cheeks as her line of thought continued to drift down memory lane of the happy moments they had actually spent together. '_Tifa and Cloud, Cloud and Tifa'_…Somehow those names just didn't fit; the flood of tears came spilling from the emotional martial artist's now slightly puffy eyes._ 'Vincent and Tifa…No. Why the hell did I just think that?! I'm so confused right now I can't even see straight never mind think straight. But it does sound kind of cute.' _She laughed at her last thought as she walked over to the bath opening the taps. She kneeled next to the slowly filling tub while mixing the water with her right hand. When it was full she pinned up her hair, got undressed and folded her clothes neatly before putting them on the table next to the wall on her left. She slid into the warm water lying back against the rear of the bath tub while closing her eyes, it was about time this exhausting day came to an end. She felt so tired, so extremely weary. '_This time Cloud, I'm sorry; it's just too late…'_

Vincent went back downstairs his thoughts dwelling on the emotionally distraught Tifa Lockheart, he knew exactly what she was going through, he also knew that only she herself would be able to get her through this, although he was all too eager to lend a helping hand. Just why exactly was that? He took of his scarlet cape and draped it over the back of the couch before sitting down. '_Am I really starting to have feelings for her?'_ His line of thought was disrupted by a sudden crash of lightning; he hadn't even noticed that it was raining again outside. '_Any man would be out of his mind to pass up the chance of being with her, she's funny, intelligent and she has this amazing ability to light up the whole room with her presence. She's beautiful, inside and out. And she's exactly the opposite of me…What would a girl like Tifa see in a...' _he couldn't really find the right word, then it hit him,_'a monster like myself?' _Damn Hojo, damn him to hell. That was the second time that damn mad scientist had messed up some aspect of his life. First he took _her _away from him, now this…Professor Hojo had indeed turned him into a monster. He sat there for about an hour before deciding that he should probably go and check up on Tifa, to make sure that she was ok. As he stood up and made his way to the bottom of the stairs he saw her silhouette standing at the top looking down at him with a small smile on her face. At least she's feeling better he thought to himself as she made her way down the steps to where he stood. He could smell the soft scent of almond milk emanating from her, her hair softly draping down her shoulders somewhat damp from the bath she had just taken. She was dressed in a white tank top and a pair of old gym shorts but in that moment he had not seen anything more breath taking than the sight before him. "I take it you are feeling better." He stated, his voice a bit deeper than he intended. "Yes, thank you, I haven't felt this good in a long time." She said as she walked past him her scent leaving a trail behind her. She walked over to the couch and sat down, putting her feet up on the couch hugging her knees to her chest, "Come sit with me? I don't feel much like being alone right now." She said in a somewhat cheery voice patting her left hand on the empty space next to her, "You know you want to." She added in a playful manner with a big smile on her face. He made his way over to where she sat while wondering what exactly she meant by_ you know you want to._ He sat down next to her turning to face her but just as he did so there came another crash of lightning; this one seemed closer and much more intense than the first one. Tifa jumped at the sudden noise and almost ended up on Vincent's lap, she clung to his arm only to realise that it was only the sound of thunder. When she noticed her proximity to the Ex-Turk she was half scared, but also half excited to her amazement. She slowly lifted her head to see the expression on his face when another crack of lightning came crashing down from the heavens and she found herself inching even closer to him. Just then the power went out. "Wow, that one was pretty close huh?" she asked as she struggled to make out his expression in the overshadowing darkness that surrounded them and he could feel the warmth of her breath on his face which made the hair on the nape of his neck stand on end . "No, actually I think that one hit Seventh Heaven Tifa." He replied softly to her, her face was mere inches from his, he could make her out perfectly in the darkness. He could see her searching eyes trying to adjust to their new surroundings while she subconsciously bit her lower lip and he had to fight off the overwhelming urge to trace the outline of her cheek and to pull her face closer to him and bring those beautiful lips to touch his. _'What has gotten into me? I haven't felt this way in thirty years. It must be the weather…oh gods I hope it's the weather!'_ He realised how silly he must have looked in that instant and was very thankful that the power was indeed off.

"Uhm, Tifa. You wouldn't by any chance have some candles around here somewhere?" He asked her moments after he forced himself to regain his poise. "Yes, there's some over by the bar, but you stay here while I go and fetch them. I know this place like the back of my hand." she replied in a playful mock while reluctantly removing her hands from his arm where they were moments ago. She stood up carefully, still not able to see her surroundings successfully. She walked over towards the bar with her arms outstretched in front of her to feel her way safely over to the counter top. He suddenly heard a thud followed by a crashing sound and a yell from Tifa, "Damn it! OUCH!!" He got up and effortlessly made his way to where she sad on the ground clutching her left foot while cursing softly under her breath. He couldn't help but smile, "I thought you knew this place like the back of your hand." He said in his usual tone of voice without any emotion, but she could tell he was teasing her, she could half make out his smile in the shadows. "Are you hurt?" there was actual concern in his voice and he bent down to crouch beside her, she was rubbing her hurt foot vigorously, "Yes, I just tripped and stubbed my toe.", she looked up and stared into those gorgeous hypnotising crimson orbs of his for a couple of seconds before muttering, "I could get lost in those you know." She quickly realised her mistake _'Did I just say that out loud?!! Am I crazy?' _"Uhm, I meant I could get lost in this darkness, we should get those candles." She was aware of how silly and unconvincing that must have sounded, considering that that was her bar. She looked at him again and saw the puzzled expression on his face, not saying anything. He was after all a man of few words.

She tried unsuccessfully to stand up and just sank to the floor again, trying to keep the whelp of pain in. "Guess I sprained my ankle when I tripped over that stupid bar stool." She mused more to herself. "Help me up please …" But before she could finish that sentence he had already positioned one arm under her knees and the other one around her back as he picked her up with ease. She looked at his face; she never really noticed how handsome he actually was before, she wrapped her arms around his neck and relaxed against his chest as he fluently carried her over to the couch. She was astonished of how much she enjoyed this closeness to Vincent Valentine, and realised to her disappointment that he was about to lay her down on the sofa. Unknowing to her he was enjoying this little incident just as much, if not more than she was. "Thanks Vincent." Was all she could come up with as he gently put her down and she could feel that she was blushing. He just gave a nod in her direction, but she could have sworn that she saw a smile forming at the corner of his mouth as he was turning around. "Wait Vincent, where are you going?" she asked in quite a distressed tone of voice. "I'm going to get those candles." He said with a hint of amusement in his rough voice, "Forgotten already?" the smile on his face was now clearly visible. "Yeah, silly me..." she giggled as she felt the heat rise to her face again. "You know Tifa," he said, "you must do that more often.". "What?" she asked sitting up straight trying to make out his form in the shadows, sometimes she swore he was a shadow himself.

"Blush. It makes you look adorable." She just sat there in shock, _adorable; _she didn't even know he had that word in his vocabulary.

He walked over to the bar in the darkness that consumed Seventh Heaven before stopping and turning around asking, "So where do you keep those candles?"

"In the top left drawer behind the bar, you will find the matches there also." She replied still in a daze. She couldn't see him anymore but she could hear him fumbling in the drawer before reappearing before her with matches and candles in hand, as well as a small plate to place the candle in. He stuck a match and lit a single candle allowing a couple of drops of wax to drip onto the plate before pressing the candle down into the hardening wax to make it stand upright. He then placed the candle on the small coffee table in front of the sofa and then turned to face her.

"Vincent, what did you mean earlier? You know, about me looking adorable when I blush?" she asked while nervously playing with her hair. He was just looking at her, those stunning red and gold orbs of his penetrating her very soul. He slowly moved closer to her while taking her hand from where it was twirling her hair between her fingers in a soft grip in his left clawed hand, his mouth centimetres from her own. He softly pulled her head closer to his with his right hand, gingerly pressing his lips against hers, his hand tracing down her jaw line and down her neck towards her back pulling her into him kissing her more passionately as each second passed. And she returned all the passion he felt in that instant, kissing him back running her hands trough his hair. She moaned softly as he pulled away breaking the kiss while looking into her beautiful somewhat confused mahogany eyes whispering into her ear one simple word, "That." He pulled away further to see a small smile forming on her lips as she started to blush again. "I apologise." He simply said with no hint in his voice of what he meant by that. "What for Vincent? I kissed you back." She said with mention of worry in her voice, worrying that he might not have meant to do what he just did, it was an amazing kiss. Nobody had ever made her feel like that. Not even Cloud…_'No, I refuse to spoil this moment by thinking of him.'_ She thought to herself _'I'm finished with Cloud Strife.'._

"No Tifa, that's not what I meant. I apologise for using the wrong word before. I should have used beautiful, not adorable. It makes you look...beautiful." He replied breaking her momentary lapse down Strife memory lane and pulling her into an embrace. Tifa broke the hug after a moment and settled in next to him on the sofa laying her head on his shoulder and wrapping her right arm around his chest. He sat there holding her until she fell asleep with the comforting sound of rain dripping onto the roof and against the windows. She must have been exhausted because she drifted into slumber after only a matter of minutes. He gently lifted her and slowly stood up laying her down and placing a cushion under her head. _'She's even more beautiful when she's asleep.'_ He thought as he took his tattered old cloak which was hanging over the couch and gently draped it over her sleeping form. "Sweet dreams Tifa." He whispered as he bent over to give her a kiss on her forehead while taking a couple of strands of her hair away from her face and putting them behind her ear.

He sat down on the floor in front of the couch with his back facing the sleeping martial artist; it had indeed been a long and eventful day for them both. He was still thinking of that kiss, the taste of her lips lingering on his own when he felt sleep starting to tug on his eyelids, pulling them down into the sweet, sweet darkness of slumber. His thoughts drifted off to sweet dreams of his own…Of things yet to come.

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Writer's note: Hey ppl!!! I would like to apologise for my silly spelling mistakes in my first chapter.l.o.l. I've been spending way too much time chatting to my friends. Well I hope you enjoyed this chapter and the next one will be up as soon as I can manage to write it, I'm still writing exams so it may take a while.

P.S: I don't own any aspect of FFVII, if I did I would be rich!! And once again thanx to my own Vinny, you are my inspiration.Mwah!


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